Reviewing The Film

October 29, 1996|By Mike Dame of The Sentinel Staff

THE GOOD NEWS: You mean, besides the fact Jacksonville is off this weekend? The Jaguars again won the statistical battle in their 28-21 loss at Cincinnati, maintaining their status as the NFL's second-ranked offense and improving two spots to rank sixth defensively. DE Clyde Simmons had a team-record three sacks among the Jags' five as a team.

THE BAD NEWS: QB Mark Brunell continues to put up big yardage figures, but he threw two interceptions that set up Cincinnati touchdowns. Brunell has seven interceptions in the past two games. . . . Jacksonville lost another one in the fourth quarter and fell to 0-5 on the road. The Bengals are the only AFC Central team that the Jags have not beaten (0-3).

THE REST OF THE STORY: A few days before the game, Brunell took his offensive linemen to dinner - a traditional show of togetherness employed by quarterbacks throughout the league. Know what? It didn't work. The Bengals pressured Brunell in the entire first half and sacked him three times before Jacksonville's offensive line got its act together after halftime.

INJURIES AND SUCH: Starting CB Dave Thomas underwent surgery Monday at Christ Medical Center in Cincinnati to repair his broken left femur (thigh bone). Thomas' injury occurred during a collision with starting SS Dana Hall during an onside kick. Bengals team doctors performed the surgery, with Jaguars team physician Dr. Stephen Lucie assisting. . . . Hall, who sprained his lower back, was walking around in the locker room following Sunday's game.